Automobile bumper



Feb. 22, 1927. H. FLACH AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Jan. 2l. 1926 Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

WN FLACH, 0F CALUIE'I. CITY, ILLINOIS.

AU'ronoisrLn sonrisa.

Application tuta January 21, 192e. semi in. sans.

The invention relates to automobilebumpers. The main ob'ect of the invention is to provide an automo ile-bumper adapted to decrease the force exerted on the automobile body by an accidental collision to such a degree, that fatal accidents are practically eliminated by the use of the present invention. A further object of the invention is to provide a bumdper adapted to be attached to the front an rear end respectively of a vehicle. A pair of bumpers may be provided at the front or rear end of an automobile or on both ends, and the bumpers of each pair may be actuated independently of each other' or in unison. A still further object of the invention is to provide a bumper having a plurality of means for receiving and absorbin any shock or the like produced by a collision or the like, so that. the greatest force of such a shock will be absorbed before the effect thereof reaches and aiects the body of the automobile. The bumper according to this inventlon 1s of strong and durab e construction, but at the same time adapted to be produced economically. It can be easily an quickly mounted on and detached from an automobile and the bumper be easily and readily disassembled, any defective part replaced and the bumper reassembled.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in its preferred form, like reference characters in the drawings, denoting like parts. y Fig. 1 is an elevation partly shown in section of the bumper in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of Fig. 1,.

F ig. 3 is a to view plan of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a si e view of one piston,

Fig. 5 the bottom plan view of Fig. 4,

gig. 6 is the side view of the other piston an Fig. 7 the bottom plan view of Fig. 6.

The bumper according 'to the present invention has a cylinder 1. Said cylinder may be madeas a steel casting or if desired of pressed steel and is designed to contain oil. The cylinder 1 is provided with a base plate 2, which may be formed as an integral part of said cylinder. The base plate has a plurality of elongated slots 3 therein. In the drawing six such slots :are shown, but any desired number may be provided. These slots receive bolts (not shown) wherewith the bumper may be detachably fastened to any automobile or other vehicle, (not shown). A cover 4 closes the end of the cylinder and is fastened thereto by means of a plurality of bolts 5, which en age threaded holes 6 in the rim of the cylin er. A gasket 7 is inserted between the cover and `the cylinder to close the latter oil proof. An opening 8 is provided in the cover and a piston rod 9 extends throu h the cover and through`` said opening into t e cylinder. The opening is adapted to receive a piston rod packing 10, which is forced into the opening and maintained in` position by means of a plate 11 held in position by screws 12. Two pistons 1.3 and 14 respectively are mounted on the piston rod in s aced relation tol each other. In the hub o each piston a radially extending hole 15 and 16 res tively is provided adapted to receive a iscteni means (not shown), such as a taper pin oldin the piston in position on the piston r Each piston head has a series of holes 17 and 18 respectively, circularly arranged therein. The radii of the circles formed by said holes are of different len ths as is clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7. i spirally and conically extending spring 19 of very strong resilient steel is inserted in the oil cylinder and abuts with one of its ends the surface of the inner end wall of the cylinder and with its other end the lower piston, so as to force the pistons and the piston rod outwardly of the cylinder. An opening, closed by the screw 20, is provided in the c linder cover topermit of filling the cy inder with oil. A bumper head 21 is mounted on the outer end of the piston rod, a taper pin -22 extendiii through the hub of the bumper head an the piston rod and holding the bumper head on the piston rod. A strong spiraly spring 23 surrounding the piston rod is inserted between the cover an the bumper head also forcing the piston rod outwardly of the cylinder. The outer part of the bumper head is forked as shown' in Fig. 1. The bumper bars 24 are T-shaped and have holes 25 therein. The forked parts of the bumper head are provided with holes registering with each other. A bolt 26 extends through the holes in the forked portions of the bumper head and through a slot 25 of each bumper bar and a spacer tube 27 surrounds .the bolt and abut-s both bumper bars holding them in the desired position. Castellated nuts 28 are mounted on the bolts 26. The bumper may be fastened directly by lll ' of means absorbs the shoc and snug y fittin means of bolts to the chassis, the bolts extending through the holes 3 in the base plate 2 and through some holess ecially provided therefor in the frame. I a car equipped with bumpers of the described kind should collide with another vehicle the'shock of the collision will be initially absorbed by the two sprin s 19 and 23, the force of the collision ten ing to compress said springs. The springs being compressed the piston rod will be forced into the cylinder, which is filled with oil. The oil behind the inner piston 14: must flow through the holes 18 in said piston to (permit an inward movement of the piston ro and the oil between the two pistous must flow through the holes 17 in the outer iston 13. The oil flowing through the lio es 18 can not flow straight on and through the holes 17 but will hit the inner surface of the iston 13, because the radii of the two annuli formed by the holes are ol different lengths.

The above description shows clearly, that the invention fullls its ob'ects. A plurality of any collision before it affects the body proper of the automobile.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an automobile bum er of the class described, a cylinder adapte to be fastened to the automobile, oil in the cylinder, a piston rod extending into the cylinder, a plurality of istons mounted on the piston rod, into the cylinder, a series of holes annularlgy arranged in eacli piston, the radii of such annuli being of different lengths, and a bumper bar fastened to the outward end of the piston rod.

2. In an automobile bumper of the class described, a cylinder adapted to be fastened to an automobile, oil in the cylinder, a piston rod extendin into the cylinder, a plurality of erforate pistons mounted on the piston ro and snugly fitting into the cylinder, the

erforations -in each piston being arran ed in a circle, said circles having radii of di erent lengths, a spring disposed in the c linder and abuttin the inner piston an the inner end wall o? the cylinder and a bumper bar attached to the outward end of the piston rod.

3. In an automobile bum r of the class described, a cylinder adapte to be fastened to an automobile, oil in the cylinder, a plurality of perforated pistons snugly fitting into and movable in said cylinder, the erforations in each piston being arrange in the shape of a circle and the circlesin the different pistons having radii of different lengths, a piston rod carrying the pistons an extending outwardly of the cylinder, a conical spiral spring inserted in the cylinder and abutting the inner end wall of the cylinder and the inner piston anda bumper bar fatened to the outward end of the piston ro 4. In an automobile bum er of the class described, a cylinder adapte to be fastened to an automobile, oil in the cylinder, a plurality of perforated pistons, snugly fitting into and slidable in the cylinder, the perforations of each piston being arranged in the shape of a circle and the circles of the different pistons having radii of different lennths, a :incl extending outwardly of the cylinder, a bumper bar attached to the outward end of 'the piston rod and a spiral spring surrounding tlie piston rod und inserted between tlic bumper bar and the cylinder top.

5. In an automobile bumper of the class described, a c linder ada ted to be fastened to an automo ile, oil in tie cylinder, a plurality of pistons snugly fitting into and slidable in the cylinder, a series of perfoiations in each piston, each series being arranged annularly and the annuli ofthe different pistons having radii of different lengths, a piston rod carryin the pistons and extending outwardly of t e cylinder, a bumper bar on the outward end of th piston rod, a conical spiral' spring in the cylinder and abutting the inner cylinder end and the inner piston, and a spiral spring surroundin the piston rod and disposed between the umper bar and the outer cylinder end.

6. In an automobile bumper of the class described, a cylinder, a base plate on the cylinder and adapted to be fastened to an automobile, oil in the cylinder, a plurality of pistons snugly fitting into and slidable in the cylinder, each piston having a series of perforations therein, arran ed in circular shape, the circles of the di erent pistons having radii of different lengths, a piston rod carrying the lurality o pistons and extending outwardly of the cylinder, a bumper bar attached to the outer end of the iston rod, a conical spiral spring disposed in the cylinder and abutting the inner end of the cylinder and the inner piston and a spiral sprin surrounding the piston rod and disposed lietween the outer end of the cylinder and the bumper bar.

7. In an automobile bumper of the class described, a cylinder, a base plate on the cylinder and adapted to be fastened to an, automobile, oil in the cylinder, a lurality of perforated pistons slidable in t e cylinder, the perforations of the different pistons arranged in circles of different radii, a piston rod carrying the plurality of pistons and extending outwardly of the cylinder, a. conical spring disposed in the cylinder and abutting the inner end wall of the cylinder and the inner piston, a bumper head fastened to the outer end of the piston rod and a bumper bar carried by the bumper head.

piston rod carrying the pistons' lll) 8. In an automobile bumper of the class described, a cylinder, a base plate on the cylinder and adapted to be fastened in an automobile, oil in the cylinder, a plurality of perforated pistons slidable in the cylinder, the perforations of the different pistons being arranged in circles of different radii, a piston rod carrying the plurality of pistons and extending outwardly of the cylinder, a conical spiral sprin arranged in the cylinder and abutting te inner piston and the inner end wall of the cylinder, a bumper head fastened to the outer end of the piston rod, a bumper bar carried by the bumper head and a spiral spring surrounding the piston rod and abuttin the outer end Wall of the cylinder and the umper head.

9. In an automobile bumper of the class described, a cylinder adapted to be fastened to an automobile, a plurality of perforated pistons slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod carrying the plurality of pistons and extending outwardly of the cylinder, oil in the cylinder, a bumper head fastened to the outer end of the piston rod, the bumper head having its outer end forked and the fork portions being provided with register ing` openings, a pair of bumper bars arranged between the forked head portions, the bars having elongated openings therein, a bolt extending through the openin s in the fork portions and in the bumper ars, a spacer tube surrounding said bolt and disposed between and abutting the bars, a spiral spring surrounding the piston rod and abutting the outer end Wall of the cylinder and the bumper head and a conical spiral spring located in the cylinder and abutting the inner piston and the inner end Wall of the cylinder.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribed my name.

HERMANN FLACH. 

